Inclination indicating device for oil wells



T. L. LYNCH ET AL INCLINATION INDICATING DEVICE FOR OIL WELLS A fil 19, 1932.

- Filed NOV. 1, 1929 L. Emu/v6 ATTOQNEQZ,

Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED stares" PATENT" OFFICE THEOD ORE I. LYNCH,.OI' HUNTINGTON PAR-K, AND HARRY I. BILLING, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA INCLINATION INDICATING FOR OIL WELLS I Application November 1, 1929. Serial No. 404,105.

of a drill bit carried on the lower end of an intendedly vertical drill shaft formed by a i string of drill pipe. Although it is desired to drill the well as nearly vertical as possible 0 and as nearly straight as possible, this is very difficult of accom lishment as the driller has no knowledge 0 conditions which may be encountered in the well tending to cause the drill bit to ofi'set so as to form a crooked hole. At the present time well surveying equipment is employed for determining the straightness of a well, but this uipment can be lowered into the hole only a er the drill pipe and drill bit have been pulled therefrom, this resulting in the drilling of great lengths of crooked hole without. any knowledge thereof until after the drill pipe has been removed from the well.

It is an object of our invention to rovide' a drill pipe having means associate there-- with for informing the driller that the lower end of the drill pipe has been deflected from a vertical position of operation, enabling him to immediately shut down and withdraw the drill pipe, whereupon the lower or crooked portion of the hole may be lugged up and the hole again started straig t at the initial point of deviation from vertical. This is a considerable advantage over the old method which required the raising of the drill pipe from the holebefore an instrument or surveying device could be--lowered thereinto to determine if portions of thehole may have been drilled crooked. Under the old method knowledge of disalignment of the hole could be obtained only after such disalignment had occurred, but-our new device imparts knowledge to the driller that the lower portion of the drill pipe has become disaligned before the crooked portion of the hole has been carried to any great extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which will 0 rate through .the medium of drilling fluid br mud pumped under pressure into the string to drill-pipe durin the drilling operation 'to produce a sensib e indication at a point near the upper end of the well when the lower end of the drill pipe deflects from a vertical position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve in the drill pipe which will automatically restrict the flow of drilling fluid 4 through the drill pipe when that portion of the drill pipe containing such valve has been deflected from vertical position, there being a pressure indicator in the fluid pressure system for; showing the increase in pressure within said fluid pressure system due to the restriction of the flow therethrough by the aforenamed automatic valve.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a valve of the above character having a transverse plate with an orifice therethrough and a closure means for such orifice, this closure means being moved 'by a pendulum in a manner to produce a restriction of the ori- Fig. 1 is a partly sectioned elevational view 8 showing drilling equipment equipped with an embodiment of our invention.

-Fi 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section showing an embodiment of the valve device fice or a closing thereof when the drill pipe employed in' the drill pipe shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section on a plane represented by the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4.- is an enlarged cross section on a plane represented by the line 44 of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 we show a string of drill pipell extending through a rotary mechamsm 12 into a well. 13, there beinga drill bit 14 on the lower end of the drill llpipe 11. A pres sure pump 15 forces a dr' in fluid, such as rotary mud, through a stan pressure hose 17 into a swivel 18 connected with the upper end of the drill pipe 11. This drilling fluid is forced under pressure down through the drill pipe 11 and an automatic valve device 20 to the drill bit 14 from which pipe 16 and it is discharged through a passage such as indicated" at 21. The automatic valve 20, as shown in-Figs. 2, 3, and 4, consists of an outer cylindrical body 22 having pipe or tool drical valve cage is received. To the up- 1 per end of the ca e 30 a transverse wall or plate 31 is secure this plate being of circular form so as to fit into a counterbore 32 in the upper end of the member 30 and being held inplace therein by simple means suc as suggested by screws 33. The transverse plate 31 has a central 0 ening or orifice 34 through which drilling uid under pressure may downwardly ass. Within and intermediate the ends 0 the member 30 a spider 35 supports an an'nular wall 36 the upper portion of which is shaped to de e a soc et 37 for a ball 38 formed on a valve member 40. Projectin downwardly from the ball 38 is a pin or s aft 41 which carries a spherical weight 42, this weight 42 o eratmgin conjunction with the ball 38 to orm a pendulum which tends to remain vertical regardless of the inclination which may be given the valve cage 30. The upper end of the shank 45 of the valve member 40 has an enlarged head or valve body 44 of conical form, the upper face of the body 44 being spherically curved to conform to the spherical curvature of the lower face 46 of the "transverse plate 31. The valve member 40,

being pivoted within the valve cage 30 by means of the ball and socket as shown, has a universal swinging movement within the cage 30.

-When the drill pipe is vertical so that the valve cage 30 will be held in vertical position such as shown Fig. 2, an opening 47 extending downwardly from the upper face of the valve body 44 will be in alignment with the orifice 34, thus permitting drilling fluid under pressure to pass through the orifice 34 and the central opening 47 of the valvebody 44 into branch openings 50 of the body 44 and into the interior of the valve cage 30 from whence the drilling fluid passes downwardly through openings 51 in the spider 35 and thence to and out through the passage 21 of the drill bit 14. So long, during the drilling operation, as the drill pipe 11, and especially the lower end thereof, remains substantially vertical, the member 40 of the valve device 20 will occupy the position thereof shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Should the drill pipe be deflected to one side, the tendency for the weight 42 to cause the member 40 to remain vertical will produce'a swinging of the member 40 toward such position as indicated by the dotted lines .55 of. Fig. 2, at which time the opening47 of the body 44 will be partly or full disaligned from the orifice 34 so that flow o drilling fluid through the orifice 34 will be partly or fully restricted, depending upon the angle of deflection of the lower end of the drill pipe. Restriction of flow through the orifice 34 produces an immediate increase in pressure inthe pressure system of thedrilling fluid, such increase in pressure being indicated by a pressure indicator mounted conveniently on the stand pipe 16 where it may give a sensible indication to the driller or others that the lower end' of the drill pipe 11 has been deflected and that the lower .portionof the hole being drilled deviates from a true vertical alignment; whereupon the driller may shut down the drilling equipment and pull the drill pipe 11 from the wellpreliminary to taking steps toward straightening the lower end of the hole.

In the'embodiment of our invention disclosed herein we employ drilling fluid under pressure as a medium for carrying to an observer an indication that the lower end of: the drill pipe has deflected from vertical.

The single simple form of means that we have shown for. imparting knowledge to the driller that the lower end of the drill pipe has been deflected employs but few of the many mechanical devices which may be combined in the manner taught herein, and to our knowledge electrical equipment may also be advantageously used.'

Although we'have herein shown and described a simple and practical embodiment of our invention, it is recognized that certain parts or elements thereof are representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may be used in substantially the same way to accomplish substantially the same results, therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but shall have the scope of the following claims.

We'claim as our invention:

1. A device of the character described, including: a drill pipe having a tool at its lower end for earthpenetration; a rotary power device for rotating said drill pipe; a fluid pressure system for forcing drilling fluid through said drill pipe; valve means in said drill pipe adapted to restrict-the flow of fluid through said drill pipe, said \valve means operating in response to deflection of said drill pipe from vertical; and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for giving a sensible indication of an increase in the pressure in said fluid pressure system.

2. A device of the character described, including; a drill pipe having a tool at its lower end for earth penetration; a rotary power device for rotating said drill pipe; a fluid pressure system for forcing drilling fluid through said drill ipe; gravity actuated valve means in said rill pi adapted to restrict the flow of fluid througl ihaid drill pipe.

said valve means operating in response to deflection of said drill pipe from vertical; and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for giving a sensible indication of an .5 increase in the pressure in said fluid pressure drill pipe adapted to restrict the flow of fluidthrough said drill pipe; means for automatically closing said valve when said drill pipe has deflected from vertical; and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for giving a sensible indication ofan-increase in the pressure in said fluid pressure system.

4;. A device of the character described, including: a drill pipe having a tool at its lower end for earth penetration; a rotary powerdevice for rotating said drill ipe; a fluid pressure system for forcing diilling fluid through said drill pipe; valve means in said drill pipe adapted to restrict the flow of fluid through said drill pipe; a pendulum swingable by gravity into a osition of 'disalignment with said drill pipe for closing said valve when said drill pipe has deflected from vertical; and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for giving a sensible indication of an increase in the pressure in said fluid ressure system.

5. 5 device of the character described, in-

cluding: a drill pipe having a tool at its lower end for .earth penetration; a rotary power device for rotating said drill pipe; a fluid pressure system for forcing drillin fluid through said drill pipe; valve means in said drill pipe adapted to restrict the flow of fluid through said drill pipe, said valve means including a transverse wall having an orifice therethrough, a closure body having an opening normally ali ed with said orifice, and a weight for determining the pos1- tion of said closure body and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for 'ving a sensible indication of an increase in t e pressure in said fluid pressure system. 6. A device of the character described, including: a drill pipe having a tool at its lower end for-earth-penetration; a rotary ower device for-rotating said drill pipe; a uid pressure system for forcing drilling fluid through said drill pipe; valve means in said drill pipe adapted to restrict the'flow of fluid through said drill pipe, said valve means including a transverse Wall having an orifice there-- through and having a concave sphericallower suface adjacent said orifice, a spider below said transverse wall having a socket formed therein, a swingable member having a ball at its center seated in said socket, an upwardly extending portion having a closure body thereon for cooperation with said orifice, and a downwardly extending weight for maintaining said swingable member-vertical, said closure bod bei'n so formed that it will not obstruct said ori ce when said drill pipe is substantially vertical but will close said orifice' as said drill pipe is deflected from vertical; and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for giving a sensible indication of an increase in the pressure in said fluid pressure system.

7. A cluding: a drill pipe having a tool at its lower end for earth penetration; a rotary power device for rotatin said drillpipe; a fluid pressure system or forcing drilling fluid through said drill pipe; valve means in said drill pipe adapted to restrict the flow of fluid through said drill pipe, said valve means including a transverse Wall having an orifice therethrough and having a concave spherical lower surface adjacent said orifice, a spider device of the character described, in

below said transverse wall having a socket I formed therein, a swingable member having a ball at its center seated in said socket, an

upwardly extending portion having a closure body thereon with a central opening for cooperation with said orifice, and a downwardly extending weight for maintaining said swingable member vertical, said closure body being so formed that said opening will be aligned with said orifice when said drill pipe is substantially vertical but will be disaligned with said orifice when said drill pipe is deflected from vertical; and a pressure indicator in said pressure system for giving a sensible indication of an increase in the pressure in said fluid pressure system.

8. A device of the character described, including: a shafthaving penetrating means at its lower end; a power device for driving said shaft; and fluid operated means associated with said drill shaft and operating in response to deflectionof said shaft in any direction from vertical to give a sensible indication of such deflection. i

9. A device of the character described, including: a shaft having penetrating means at itslowerend; a power device for driving saidshaft; a fluid chamber associated with said shaft; and valve means operable in said chailnber by deflection of said shaft from vertica 10. A device of the character described, including: a shaft having penetrating means at its lower end; a power device for driving said shaft; a fluid chamber associated with i :35 lower end for earth 1 drill pipe and operating in response to de,

flection of said drill pipe from vertical to.

give a sensible indication through said fluid pressure system of such deflection.

13. A device ofthe character described, in-

cluding: a drill pipe having penetrating means at its lower end; a power device for rotating said drill pipe; acolumn of fluid; and means associated with said drill pipe and operatin in response'to deflection of said 3 0 drill pipe from vertical to give a sensible in dication through said column of fluid of such deflectiom 14. A device of the character described, in-

cluding: a drill pipe having a tool at its ".25 lower end for earth penetration; a power device for rotating said drill pipe; a fluid pressure system for forcing fluid through said drill pipe; and valve means in said drill ipe adapted to restrict the passage of uid through said drill pipe, said valve means operating in response to deflection of said drill pipe from vertical.

15. A device of the character described, including: a drill "pipe having a tool at its enetration; a power device for rotatin said drill pipe; a fluid pressure system or forcing fluid through said drill pipe; valve means in said drill pipe adapted to restrict the flow of fluid through I 40 said drill pipe; and a pendulum swingable by gravity into a position of disali nment with said drill pipe for closing sai valve when said drill pipe has deflected from vertical.

16. A device of the character described, in cluding: a shaft; and a pendulum associated through a ball joint with said shaft for continuously providing a sensible indication of A the deflection from vertical of said shaft.

17. A device of the character described, in-

cluding: a shaft; a pendulum so associated with said' shaft that it may moverelative to said shaft when said shaft is deflected in any direction from-vertical; and means associated with said shaft for continuously providing a sensible indication of the position of said pendulum'relative to said shaft.

' 18. A device of the-character described, including: a shaft; a pendulum connected through a ball joint with said shaft, said pendulum being adapted for movement in any direction relative to said shaft; and means associated with said shaft for con- .tinuously providing a sensible indication of the position of said pendulumrelative to said shaft.

19. A device of the character described,

including: a shaft; a valve in said shaft; a pendulum connected through a ball joint with said shaft and adapted for movement in any direction relative to said shaft for closing said valve; and means for giving a sensible indication of the degree to which said valve is closed.

20. A device of the character described, including: a shaft; a valve connected to said shaft; a pressure providing means for supthrough a ball joint with said shaft for giving a sensible indication of the deflection from vertical of said shaftat a pointremote from said deflection.

22. A device of the character described, including: a shaft; and a pendulum associated through a ball joint with said shaft for giving sensible indications of the deflections from vertical of said shaft as said shaft is moved.

23. A device of the character described,

including: a shaft; a pendulum so associated with said shaft that it may move relative to said shaft when said shaft is deflected in any direction from vertical; and means associated with said shaft for roviding at a point remote from said pendu um a sensible indication of the position .of said pendulum relative to said shaft.

24. A device of the character described, including: a supporting member; and fluid operated means associated with said supporting member and operated in response to deflection of said member in any direction from vertical to give a sensible indication of such deflection.

25. A device of the character described,'ineluding: a shaft; a fluid chamber associated with said shaft; valve means operable in said chamber by deflection of said shaft from vertical; and means for giving a sensible indication of' a change in position of said valve means. y

26. A device of the character described, including: a shaft; a pressure providing system; and means associated with said shaft and said pressure providing system and operating in response to deflection of the lower end of said shaft from vertical to give a sensible indication of such deflection.

27. A device of the character described, in-

eluding: a pipe; a fluid pressure system for forcing fluid through said pipe; valve means in said pipe adapted to restrict the flow of.

operating in response to deflection of said pipe from vertical; and. a pressure indicator in said pressure system for 'ving a. sensible indication of an increase in the pressure in said fluid pressure system. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands at Huntington Park, California, this 26th day of October, 1929.

THEODORE L. LYNCH. HARRY L. BILLING. 

